SEBASTIAN —The city grew by 182 acres Wednesday when the City Council unanimously approved an annexation that could bring more than 500 homes over the next 10 years.

Council chambers was packed for the vote, which clears the way for Ridgewood Sebastian LLC to begin the process of seeking city approval for a planned urban development (PUD) known as Spirit of Sebastian. The project still faces scrutiny from the city Planning and Zoning Commission before it goes to the City Council.

The property, currently owned by Atlantic Coast Enterprises and Mary Lou Brown, is north and east of the Sebastian Highlands and the South Moon Under residential developments, and south of the Sebastian Industrial Park near County Road 512.

Speakers at the public hearing expressed concerns about what the proposed density could mean for roads, utilities and traffic.

“Will it be on city water and sewer?" asked resident Ray Fries, who lives on Del Monte Road. "What improvements are going to have to be made on Del Monte?”

Ben Hocker said there are too many unanswered questions about what could be built on the property if it was annexed.

“We have no answers to time frames, how many people, how many homes,” said Hocker. “And who’s going to fix Old Dixie Highway?”

Ed Dodd(Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO FROM ED DODD)

Councilman Ed Dodd, Planning and Zoning Commission chairman before his election to the council, told the audience annexation was only the first step in a very long process, where all of their concerns would be flushed-out.

“All it says is it’s going to make the land part of the city of Sebastian,” said Dodd. “The city has to get the developer to invest money in the PUD application before the project can even go to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. You can’t produce everything up front. This is just the first step in the process.”

Chuck Mechling, agent for the project, and said the team preparing the application hopes to submit it to the city in the next few weeks. Traffic patterns, transportation, roads, drainage and the environment would be analyzed and necessary improvements incorporated into the site plan before it is finalized.

“It is a long process,” said Mechling. “But all of the concerns folks brought up tonight will be addressed. Our whole team will meet with everyone who spoke to get their input into the project. There will be traffic studies, reports, environmental assessments, whatever is necessary will be done.”

Development is always controversial, Mechling said, because people are concerned that too much growth will destroy the community.

“The question is how do we grow with grace,” said Mechling. “The team members involved with this project are all local folks, and there is a sense of pride of doing something right in their own community. We want to design something that blends in with this community.”